Seven-try Leinster eye European glory

Sun, Dec 18, 2011, 1:00 AM
AAP
by AAP

Defending champions Leinster ran in seven tries in a 52-27 demolition of Bath in Dublin on Saturday to go six points clear at the top of Pool Three and move closer to a European Cup quarter-final spot.

A week after beating the English side 18-13 in Bath, the Irishmen ran rampant, making sure of a bonus point after Rob Kearney, Luke Fitzgerald (2) and Jonathan Sexton had all scored tries.

Scrum-half Eoin Reddan, Rhys Ruddock and Ian Madigan piled on the agony for the visitors, while Bath battled to score three second-half tries through Stephen Donald, Dave Atwood and Ben Williams.

In the group's other match, second-placed Glasgow drew 13-13 at Montpellier, with Rory Lamont, back in Scottish rugby after a spell with Toulon, scoring his team's only try.

"We are obviously delighted to get the five points and with the tries and also some of the running lines," said Leinster coach Joe Schmidt after Bath suffered their heaviest ever defeat in the history of the tournament.

Leicester relaunched their bid for a place in the quarter-finals with a gritty 23-19 win over French heavyweights Clermont.

The 2001 and 2002 champions, suffered their first defeat in Pool Four last week when they succumbed 30-12 in Auvergne.

However, a solid second-half defensive performance, combined with the boot of England fly-half Toby Flood, kept the Tigers on course for an 11th quarter-final appearance in 15 years of European Cup competition.

Ulster stayed top of the group after a six-try 46-20 rout of Aironi, a bonus point win that kept them two points ahead of Leicester.

Andrew Trimble, Tom Court, Craig Gilroy and replacements Robbie Diack and Adam Macklin were all on the mark for the visitors, while a first-half penalty try added to Italian misery.

Share
Cron pinpoints growth - '2026 was good but good is the enemy of great'
Breaking down the maths and results needed for Australia's sides to claim the World Championships. Photo: World Rugby
How both Australian sides can take out the SVNS World Championship in Bordeaux
ACT Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham is urging his players to block out the past and not worry about the future ahead of their date with destiny.
What horror record? Brumbies set sights firmly on weathering Hurricanes
Reds women in uniform...(from left) Sarah Riordan, Ella Hopper, Jordan Neal, Bree-Anna Browne and Deni Ross. Photo: Neha Kumar
New Reds Women's Debutant Jordan Neal Meshing Rugby and a Defence Force Career